RCA 9TC240 Alignment...The start of my education (I hope!)

[bandersen]

Also insanely complicated and challenging to keep in spec. I think you'll be fine with the 8600/8601 combo.

[Chris K]

Everything will be here by Monday. Very exciting.

[Yamamaya42]

So, then you can put everything you have together on 2 or 3 shelves, and with all the displays and screens, switches, lights,and knobs blinking and flashing and showing stuff, put a fancy joystick in the center, add a large LCD screen, and it will look like a cockpit!

[Chris K]

Wharp factor one. Arm photon torpedoes. Fire!!!

[Chris K]

Hey friends, the digital marker came today. Not much I can do to test its full capabilities except to use it as a frequency counter which it's rated to do up to 15MHz. It can actually go a bit further than that and it's bang on accurate.

[bandersen]

That's impressive! Love the nixies

[Chris K]

They are cute and much brighter than in the photo. I opened it up and it looks mostly original. There’s a board mounted can capacitor and a couple of Sprague electrolytics. Not dusty inside at all. I pulled a couple of the boards just to lightly clean the contacts and buttoned it back up. It works great so I’ll leave well enough alone.

[Penthode]

Excellent. When is the generator due to arrive?

And the markers are highlighted for identification by pressing the center buttons on the marker adjustment controls. Are they intact and latch? The only issue I had with mine was one of the buttons was broken and missing.

[Chris K]

Originally Posted by Penthode

Excellent. When is the generator due to arrive?

And the markers are highlighted for identification by pressing the center buttons on the marker adjustment controls. Are they intact and latch? The only issue I had with mine was one of the buttons was broken and missing.

You have me a bit concerned with the "latch" reference. Is the button in the center of each marker adjustment knob supposed to lock in some sort of on/off detent? None of the five do. There's very little travel on the center buttons and no discernable click or an indication something is being turned on and off.

[Penthode]

Originally Posted by Chris K

You have me a bit concerned with the "latch" reference. Is the button in the center of each marker adjustment knob supposed to lock in some sort of on/off detent? None of the five do. There's very little travel on the center buttons and no discernable click or an indication something is being turned on and off.

The five marker controls on the HP8600a have center selector buttons. When you press the button it latches. Pressing any other the others release it and selects the other. It is a one out of five latch and is purely mechanical.

[Chris K]

Originally Posted by Penthode

The five marker controls on the HP8600a have center sector buttons. when you press the button it latches. Pressing any other the others release it and selects the other. It is a one out of five latch and is purely mechanical.

Doesn’t do that. I’ll have to get inside of it. If it’s a mechanical system I should be able to fix it.

[Chris K]

Buttons are good. The partner piece is due Monday!

[Chris K]

...and is out for delivery!

[Chris K]

OK the 8601 is here It powers up. I think I might need a few more BNC cables! I tried to configure the instruments for the sweep characteristics test and after 5 hook-ups, I ran out!

[Penthode]

Originally Posted by Chris K

OK the 8601 is here It powers up. I think I might need a few more BNC cables! I tried to configure the instruments for the sweep characteristics test and after 4 hook-ups, I ran out!

I count four interconnection hookup cables

Blanking
Sweep
Sweep Inhibit
Aux out of the Sweeper tthe counter in rear.

In addition you need the generator RF out to apply to the circuit under test and a cable, typically scope probe to it's vertical input.

Have you verified that the HP8601a produces a CW output which frequency can be measured on the HP8600a?

Refer to the Operator check on pages 21 and 22 of the BAMA HP8601a manual pdf.